Pumpkin fest

[cornerofmadness]

So I’ve had plans for this weekend for some time but I never told anyone lest they get jinxed (well evil_little_dog knew). Dracula the ballet was in Columbus and Circleville was having it’s 100th pumpkin festival and I was very excited. Every year something gets in the way of me seeing that ballet. Mom and ELD wanted to come too. Finally mom decided last weekend would be better for her and ELD’s boss being away didn’t mean that she was free.

In the long run this was a good thing. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I was wasting LOTS of money to see one ballet. It would get out so late I’d want to spend the night so now my 25$ ballet would cost 3-4 times as much in hotel fees. AND it’s now mid-terms and I really couldn’t afford to be gone two days. I have two tests Monday and Tuesday (why didn’t I make that one on Wed....) Dracula has gotten like The Nutcracker, available every year so I could just do it next year maybe.

So I headed for the pumpkin festival. Now there’s only one main way into Circleville and when I get there the state police have the exit blocked and are directing traffic back the way I came. Would have been nice to have notice! So I back track and go in a different way. I used to have patients in Circleville when I practiced in Columbus. I try to find a place to park for over forty minutes. I only found two possible places some ten blocks from the festival next to houses so terrifying that I was fairly sure a) this is why no one else had parked there b) that my car wouldn’t be there. And Mostly all I saw as I drove around and around were carnie games and food. Sigh. You know, I should write the chamber of commerce and suggest they do what Dublin does, park them outside of town and bus them in. Circleville probably only has a few thousand (if that) people and they were expecting 500,000 there this weekend. Apparently they all came at once.

I give up and go to Columbus. I end up pulling off at Renick’s family farm market, a favorite spot of mine. I go out to the pumpkin patch and pick my own misshapen pumpkin (I always get the Charley Brown Christmas tree of pumpkins, uglier the better), get some dandelion jelly, goat milk fudge, sweet potato & strawberry butters, some sorghum suckers AND something I used to stagger my Circleville patients just to have ‘excuses’ to stop at Renicks for, Apple Cider slushes.

Then I head to the mall. I manage to forget my Borders/Waldens coupon in the car and had to go back for it. But I get some shopping in, like at Coldwater Creek. Flippy told me when they have sales they have big sales and boy did they. I got a 100% silk poncho with silk under garment for 19$. I couldn’t buy the silk for that. Waldens is stocked with goodies. (Cross calenders off your list of things to get me folks), all three cashiers are teenaged manga-loving girls who suggested D Gray-man to me so I got it, not to mention Saiyuki (I fell hard and fast in love with this one) Bleach’s newest, Her Majesty’s Dog’s newest and a few others. BUT they spoiled me for the ending of Deathnote. I could just cry. I mean it.

I didn’t find shoes. I looked everywhere. All I want are black flats. Flats are so out but my arthritis makes wearing heels to work impossible. My feet are SO skinny even the B-widths are swimming on me. I did however have the perverse pleasure of looking for shoes in Von Maur’s an upscale Saks like store (complete with grand piano and live musician) while my own shoes are covered in pumpkin goo, mud and other things from the farm...

Now somehow this morning working on the test stuff, I missed breakfast. I snagged popcorn chicken on the way up there figuring I’d eat at the festival. Wrong. By the time I got to the mall I was so hungry I wasn’t hungry any more and didn’t eat lunch either. I was getting vaguely hungry as I headed across the street to B&N to see if they had ancillary manga fan crap (they didn’t). Then I see a Target and went wild. Wine, candy, chop sticks and a longing for the ‘stone bust’ Halloween things.

Okay by now I’m starving and tired and decide not to drive the ten miles to Borders to see if they have ancillary manga fan crap because there’s nothing over there to eat. I’m hungry for Chinese. I keep asking cashiers and no one knows (no kidding because there’s nothing but upscale restaurants they can’t afford). I troll for Chinese, give up, go to TGI Fridays told it’s an hour wait. I said bite me and go to California Pizza kitchen (back in the mall).

I decide okay let’s stop at the Pumpkin fest on the way home. It’s now dark and cold, surely they all went home. WRONG. I was stuck in traffic for over two hours. It took 3 ½ hours to get home (it’s usually 1 ½ hours). I read two manga stuck in traffic. I could have died.

So...I didn’t see the ballet. I didn’t see pumpkins. I didn't get home in time to get my meds. My mid-terms aren’t written. Whines.

Comments

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

*pats you* I make pumpkin soup and you missed out. Of course, you also missed out on the nothing garage sales (okay, so I DID score a quart-size, glass measuring cup and an artbook retelling of St. George and the Dragon but....)

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

well at least you accomplished more than me...well I did drop nearly 100$ in manga...

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I'd like to do that today but I don't know if resources will allow.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

i know. i could have bought more but borders/waldens here was having buy three get one free

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Buy three get one free? *chokes*

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

and they forgot it and I had to have them redo the bill

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

*headdesk*

[tinpanalley.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry that the weekend didn't work out like you planned! *hugs*

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thanks.

[silvrethorn.livejournal.com]

Hang on long enough and _Dracula_ will be televised. That's how I finally saw _Nutcracker_. Like the local theater didn't put it on every year, but I wanted to see a really good one.

You did too see pumpkins. You had one in the car with you. You just didn't see the Pumpkin Festival pumpkins. Is your lumpy gourd headed for pumpkin soup, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin bread, punkin' pie, or is it just for carving?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

carving. I'm too lazy to make it into food

[ninerva.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. :-( I think you can chalk that up to 'one-of-those-days'. {hug} And I share your frustration with the whole flat shoe situation. I never wear heels, therefore I can't wear heels, my muscles are all wrong for them now, but can I find a pair of flat boots this season? Just a simple pair of smart flat boots to wear under jeans, that's all I ask for. :-(

I hope sunday works out better for you. :-)

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

no because women still want those heels. Yes we look good in them but they're horrendous. I've broken both ankles, torn out both knees and one hip over the years. I can handle the chunky heels but even those not for long

[ninerva.livejournal.com]

But they do terrible things to feet. Throughout my life I will be either on my back, my arse or my feet. I look after my back and my feet, genetics took care of my arse for me. (I blame my Irish greatgrandmother.);-);-)

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

oh they do horrendous things to feet. Back when I was a practicing foot surgeon you do NOT want to know how many women came to me to cut off a toe or two so they could wear the sexier pointy shoes. I just stared at them in horror and said NO!

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

......

WHAT?

I honestly can't believe people.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

i'm not even kidding

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

That's sickening. And I thought the whole 'starving themselves into unnatural thinness' was a bad enough thing.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

well yes that too but it happens a lot. More than I would ever have ethought possible. then they tell you they don't want an 'ugly scar' either. Hello, you're cutting off a TOE to wear shoes. get out of my office

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

I remember reading the original Cinderella in which the stepsisters do that to fit into the shoe and was like "yeah, right, as if anyone would do something as crazy as that".

People like that need therapy. How the heck can someone be capable of mutilating themselves to fit into a shoe??

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

yes they did and died in the fairy tale.

there is a disease where the person just can't see their body as ok and keep having surgery to fit their ideal

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

Aww, it's a pity you didn't get to go to the ballet and the pumpkin fest :S

But at least you did manage to get into the Saiyuki love!! Nothing like pretty boys with angsty backstories for us to obsess over ;)

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

the ballet will come again. I'm glad I didnt' stay because now I'm sick.

and yes, Saiyuki is just lovely. I adore Gojya and Hakkai especially

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

Yeah, just read your new post about that :(

It is :D Was one of my first forays into the world of fandom. I love those boys :D

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

really. I had no idea you liked it. I'd like to see the anime...which I passed on in a used dvd store because I had yet to see the manga

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love it :) Never bought the manga cause it costs alot here but I have almost all of it in scans. A friend of mine is giving me some of the anime (Reload I think, we couldn't find the original series anywhere, even though we managed to catch it on tv once.) I'll add it to the pile of stuff I'm supposed to be sending you (and sorry that I'm so terrible at getting around to going to the post office *kicks herself*).

It's a wonderful story, the only one I like more is FMA I think. Sarah used to swear by Saiyuki but now I drove her nuts over FMA too :D

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

it's not cheap here either but i'm sure it's astronomical there. Oh no hury on that. That reminds me, what would you like for the holidays.

and yes, the storyline is interesting me and damn they're just sarcastically funny. I'm not a huge fan of Goyu but he and Gojyo are killing me

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

It's in the region of about $20 per book I think, I'm not sure though.

Hmm, I dunno, are you doing fics again? I'll probably ask for an FMA one if you are ;) What about you, anything in mind?

Hah! I know, I love their interactions, and Sanzo when he tries to shut Goku and Gojyo up! *snickers* Have you read Hakkai's background yet?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

that's double what it is here.

i could do fic...maybe. I could actually get you something if you'd like

not yet. I'm only on #2. I just got Gojyo and Sanzo's background

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

Wow. If it was half the price it is here, that would be very very cheap next to other things.

Oh, that would be nice :) Hmm, I dunno, maybe one of those FMA knickknacks you mention finding sometimes? Nothing like that is available here. Or something you pick up at all of those fairs and things you go to :) You choose, I'm sure I'll like anything you pick!

Is there anything in particular you'd like me to get for you??

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

who's your favorite character?

actually you making all those dvds would be gift enough

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

ROY! :D And after him Ed and then Riza. Though really, I love everyone in the series I think, which is a bit of a first for me!

I make dvds for everyone all the time, tisn't a proper prezzie! You must tell me something you'd like for me to send along with them!!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Yes, Roy is so darn sexy.

hmm I don't know. I'm not sure what you have access too

[lejlkwiet.livejournal.com]

I KNOW. Trust me, I know. *melts*

Um, I'm not sure what I have access to either XD Just mention some things and I'll do my best. I can buy off Amazon too if you have a wishlist there!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

not doing the amazon wishlist this year. I have most of the books I want and I'm not much on watching dvd's outside of collections my friends can't afford. Again touristy things make me happy

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

Talk about your days not to remember.

I love Coldwater Creek, I get a lot of my work clothes from them.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

C.Creek is a little pricer than I can usually afford and well...i'm just too fat for most of their stuff. Sigh. But it's gorgeous. I've been getting their catalogue for well over a decade

[scarlettehawk.livejournal.com]

So, you pretty much ran around looking for food and seeking elusive pumpkins. At least you scored some manga and got to read it in the car. I put some little pumpkins and gourds out this year. I don't think I'm messing with a big pumpkin. I can't be trusted with a carving knife right now. I just bought a pair of black flats. Had to mail-order them. They aren't great, but they'll work for the old "God forbid I have to go someplace where I need to wear real shoes" situation. The only other pair of dress shoes I own are my old black boots. You saw those in Fishkill years ago. Remember The Blue Parrot? And Ichabod's? Still have those boots. Good luck finding shoes.

That damn sin test said I was going to die in my sleep and no one would notice. LIKE HELL I AM! When I kick it, people are going to know all about it.

Scar

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

yeah you summarized my day perfectly. I don't think i'm going to carve mine either. I'm not sure I could control the knife. pouts.

I still have boots from back then too. However i've blown out all my flats. I have heels for going out but I'm looking for something to stand in all day if I have to at work. Sigh.

hee. Well at least you aren't too lazy to bat the bugs off yourself.